Praised as especially moving by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and as a sparkling soprano by the Broad Street Review, Christine Lyons is a dynamic artist on the rise. Her most recent portrayal of Rossini s Amenaide in Tancredi rifatto at Teatro Nuovo evoked praise from Bachtrack, describing her as remarkable and Gay City News, calling her performance a revelation. This 2018-19 season, Ms. Lyons sings the title role in Norma with Winter Opera Saint Louis, Blanche in Dialogue des Carmelites with Saltworks Opera, Exsultate, jubilate with the Queens Symphony Orchestra, and is presented in recital with Thomas Muraco by the Art Song Preservation Society of New York. In spring, she joins Opera Theater Saint Louis to sing Verna in the world premier of Fire Shut up in my Bones and cover Countess in The Marriage of Figaro. Recent roles include Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Konstanze in Mozart s Die Entführung at Symphony Space, the title role in Massenet s Manon at Carnegie Hall, Micaëla in Carmen, Mimí and Musetta in La Bohème, the title role in Suor Angelica, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Adina in L Elisir d amore, Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, the title role in Alcina, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at Sant Anna dei Lombardi in Naples, Italy. In concert, she has been presented by Vocal Arts DC at the Kennedy Center, by Denyce Graves at Wolf Trap, by Sherrill Milnes at Opera Naples and by Lyric Fest at Church of the Holy Trinity in Rittenhouse Square. Oratorio work includes singing Exsultate, jubilate with the St. Veronica Orchestra in New York and Beethoven s Symphony No. 9 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Rusty Musicians under the baton of Marin Alsop. A well-decorated competitor, Ms. Lyons is a 2018 Grand Prize Winner in the Mary Trueman Art Song Vocal Competition, and has garnered top awards from Vocal Arts DC Discovery Art Song Competition, The Gerda Lissner Foundation, Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing International Vocal Competition, Washington International Competition, New York Lyric Opera Theater National Vocal Competition, Rochester International Vocal Competition, The American Prize for Women in Opera Competition, and Metropolitan Opera Competition. She was also the featured artist on WWFM Classical as a part of their Celebrating Our Musical Future live radio program. Ms. Lyons earned a Master of Music from Peabody Institute, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, and completed further studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.
ROLES Norma, upcoming Norma Winter Opera Saint Louis Dialogue des Carmélites, upcoming Blanche Saltworks Opera The Marriage of Figaro, upcoming Countess cover Opera Theater of Saint Louis Fire Shut Up In My Bones, upcoming Verna Opera Theater of Saint Louis Tancredi rifatto Amenaide Teatro Nuovo Tancredi Amenaide cover Teatro Nuovo Anna Bolena (scenes) Anna Bolena Opera Naples L Elisir d amore Adina City Lyric Opera I Capuleti e i Montecchi Giulietta Saltworks Opera Carmen Micaëla Opera Ithaca Don Giovanni Donna Anna Hawaii Performing Arts Festival Ariadne auf Naxos Echo Berkshire Opera Festival Aida (scenes) Gran Sacerdotessa Berkshire Opera Festival & Chorus Suor Angelica Suor Angelica New York Lyric Opera La Bohème Mimí Opera Long Island Cosí fan tutte Fiordiligi Charleston Symphony Orchestra Die Entführung Konstanze cover Symphony Space NYC Cosí fan tutte Fiordiligi Peabody Institute Le Nozze di Figaro (scenes) Contessa Mozarteum Salzburg Die Zauberflöte Pamina Amalfi Coast Music Festival Les Contes d Hofmann Antonia Amalfi Coast Music Festival Manon Manon Carnegie Hall Manon Manon Martina Arroyo Foundation La Bohème Musetta NY Repertory Orchestra Le Nozze di Figaro Susanna Lincoln Center Alcina Alcina Carnegie Mellon University CONCERT Exsultate, jubilate upcoming Soloist Queens Symphony Orchestra Recital, Art Song upcoming Soloist Art Song Preservation Society of NY Recital, Art Song Soloist Kennedy Center, Vocal Arts DC Exsultate, jubilate Soloist St. Veronica Orchestra Simón Bolivar/Harriet Soloist Thea Musgrave Celebration Recital, Arias Soloist Wolf Trap Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Soloist Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Recital, Art Song Soloist Lyric Fest & Singing City
TRAINING Bachelor of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance, Carnegie Mellon University College & University Honors, Lee and Barbara Cass Award, Charlotte Black Memorial Award Master of Music in Vocal Performance, Peabody Institute Tom Clancy Family, Charles P. Sachs Conservatory & C. Albert Kuper, III Scholarship Awards Performance Certificates, Mozarteum Salzburg Voice Teachers: Denyce Graves (current), Janet Perry, Mimi Lerner Coaches: Joan Dornemann, Rachelle Jonck, Lucy Yates, Patrick O Donnell, Louis Salemno, Giovanni Reggioli, Cathy Popovic Conductors: Will Crutchfield, Marin Alsop, Ken Lam, Robert Page, Peter Marks, Jeffrey Rink, Michael Feldman, Brian Garman Directors: Jonathan Loy, Verónica Villarroel, Laura Alley, Veronica Tyler, Scott Skiba, Adrianna Desier Durant, Garnett Bruce Masterclass: Marilyn Horne, Grace Bumbry, Helen Donath, Martina Arroyo, Pierre Vallet, Mark Markham, Sherrill Milnes AWARDS Grant Winner- The Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Song Competition, 2018 Grand Prize - ASPSNY Mary Trueman Art Song Vocal Competition, 2018 2 nd Prize - Rochester International Vocal Competition, 2018 3 rd Prize - The American Prize for Women in Opera, 2018 2 nd Prize - Vocal Arts DC Discovery Art Song Competition, 2017 2 nd Prize New York Lyric Opera Theater Vocal Competition, 2017 4 th Prize Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing International Vocal Competition, 2017 Finalist Prize - Washington International Competition, 2016 Encouragement Award - Metropolitan Opera Competition Southeast Region, 2013
REVIEWS The Rifatto alternate Amenaide, newcomer Christine Lyons, was a revelation. Lyons quick vibrato and complex timbre brought greater emotional immediacy to Amenaide s conflict between duty and desire. [she] handled the florid passages with musicianship and flair. Gay City News on Tancredi rifatto Remarkable Bachtrack on Tancredi rifatto A nuanced and richly textured performance, Christine Lyons as Giulietta was spellbinding, highlighting her range and interpretation, singing the aria with rosy, agile coloratura. In short, Lyons is exquisite. Cape Charles Mirror on I Capuleti e i Montecchi This was one of the most emotionally moving concerts I ve ever attended. Christine Lyons added a sparkling soprano to Handel s Let the Bright Seraphim and sang a beautifully ornamented Last Rose of Summer. Broad Street Review on a recital with Lyric Fest Soprano Christine Lyons exuded such a radiant presence. Patrick D McCoy.com on a recital at WolfTrap As Adina her lustrous soprano won us over from the start. Voce di Meche on L Elisir d amore The three nymphs, Jeni Houser, soprano, as Najade, Rebecca Ringle, mezzo, as Dryade and Christine Lyons, soprano, as echo were superb individually and magnificent as a trio. Berkshire Record on Ariadne auf Naxos Three attending nymphs (Jeni Houser, Rebecca Ringle And Christine Lyons) lament her fate, voices... blending together with the beauty of their ethereal essence. The Berkshire Eagle on Ariadne auf Naxos...The nymph trio of soprano Jeni Houser (playing Naiad), mezzo Rebecca Ringle (Dryade), and soprano Christine Lyons (Echo) provides what amounts to sonic nectar as their voices merge in sympathy with the long-suffering Ariadne. La Scena Musicale on Ariadne auf Naxos
REVIEWS (Cont.) There is exquisite ensemble singing for the three nymphs who attend Ariadne. Jeni Houser/Najade, Rebecca Ringle/Dryade and Christine Lyons/Echo were gorgeous in movement, raiment, gesture and song. If you don t go and see these three ladies exalt... more fool you. The Boston Musical Intelligencer on Ariadne auf Naxos We've been hearing a great deal of Bernstein in this celebratory year; soprano Christine Lyons closed the program with a moving rendition of "Somewhere". To truly appreciate Ms. Lyons' gifts, one needs to hear her Italian. We well remember her performance as Adina. But last night we heard an enhancement of vibrato in her glorious performance of "Io son l'umile ancella" from Cilea'sAdriana Lecouvreur. The Italianate vowels and phrasing were perfect. We have been waiting patiently for someone to get us to appreciate Carlyle Floyd's Susanna and Ms. Lyons crisp English diction and psychological insight helped us to turn the corner. In "Ain't it a Pretty Night", she expressed all the longing and excitement of leaving home, and all the nostalgia for what might be left behind. We wondered if Ms. Lyons had experienced those feelings when she left Atlanta because her performance oozed conviction. Voce di Meche on Concert with City Lyric Opera Naiade (Jeni Houser), Echo (Christine Lyons) And Dryade (Rebecca Ringle)... express empathy and harmonize and counterpoint and lushly enhance the dramatic elements of the show.each is lovely: Lyric Soprano, Dramatic Soprano And Mezzo-Soprano; each becomes ubiquitous, another instrument in the ensemble, but able to voice thought rather than just exress it with tone. In fact, the vocalizing in this production is truly extraordinary with every word sung clear as a bell. The Berkshire Edge on Ariadne auf Naxos Lyons doesn t have to be asked twice to make like opera s greatest temptress. Atlanta Journal Constitution Especially Moving Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Miss Saigon Poignant Broadway World on Thea Musgrave s Celebration Concert